Jay Lipner, Lawyer In Aids Cases

November 10, 1991|By New York Times News Service.

NEW YORK — Jay C. Lipner, a lawyer who championed causes for AIDS victims, died Wednesday of AIDS in his Manhattan home. He was 46.

Mr. Lipner played a major role in winning Social Security disability benefits for AIDS patients, lobbied federal officials for wider access to experimental drugs, fought for better insurance coverage and worked for laws to prohibit discrimination.

``His contribution is almost inestimable,`` said Timothy Sweeney, executive director of the Gay Men`s Health Crisis. ``With his legal mind, he focused on very concrete needs at a broad policy level, the bread and butter issues that matter in staying alive.``

Mr. Lipner was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, and received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas.

He worked as a legal services lawyer for the poor in Arkansas, Rhode Island and New York, specializing in nutrition issues, and was a lawyer for the Food Research and Action Center in New York City and Washington.

He helped organize the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or Acorn, which presses for housing and other local needs.

As an assistant attorney general in New York State, he helped litigate the Love Canal chemical waste case.

He became a partner in the Manhattan law firm of Silverstein Langer Lipner & Newburgh in 1984, and represented many AIDS patients.

After his first serious bout of illness in 1987, he invoked his disability benefits and devoted his remaining time to the cause of fighting AIDS.

He is survived by his mother, Miriam Lipner, and a sister, Julie Martin, both of Corpus Christi. His companion was John Dimicelli of New York City.